A behind the scenes look at the London Bride & Otaduy Bridal special bridal showcase last month. We were thrilled to invite readers and brides to this intimate event to try on dresses and chat and be inspired by some of our wedding industry friends!

Part of why I love working in this industry is getting the chance to work and collaborate with like-minded, creative and modern thinking wedding colleagues. It pushes the industry in the right direction and just bouncing ideas, inspiration and swopping stories is really refreshing.

Having been a fan of Barcelona bridal designers, Otaduy and their gorgeous London showroom, we decided to collaborate and hold an intimate bridal event to showcase their new collection, meet with brides (and readers of London Bride!) and also to introduce them to some fabulous wedding brands, suppliers, designers and makers. It was so much fun to see bride’s try on potential contender dresses, with their friends and family with the added fun of trying on veils, shoes, holding a beautiful bouquet as well as be made-up all whilst in a relaxing and intimate atmosphere with delicious and cute mini bottles of sparkling wine courtesy of Cordoniu and refreshing and stylish hydration from Solan de Cabras. Definitely the way dress shopping should be!

As a wedding planner and blogger, it’s also really lovely for me to connect with bride-to-be’s to hear about their days and their styles and wedding inspiration and of course talking all about dresses!

Otaduy showcased their new ‘I Do’ collection, which you can see more of here but is inspired by the glamorous days of disco, and free-spirited style… Otaduy has a lovely balance of feminine dresses and cool separates (plus jackets!) that are for a modern boho bride and are perfect for both a city wedding or something a little more rural. We had a lovely mix of brides at the event who were getting married in the city, the countryside and a few destination weddings too (lucky them!).

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Amy and Matt had a colourful modern Kings Cross wedding with a ceremony in St Pancras station followed by an informal and urban reception.

This week feels like all my wedding enquiries seem to be for September. It’s no wonder it’s a popular month, the summer is over, life is back to normal, kids are at school and well, the weather seems to be mostly quite lovely.

This wedding took place in September last year and certainly wasn’t short of blue skies. The addition of the colourful flowers, those turquoise blue shoes worked with the couple who’s beaming smiles are almost as bright as both.

When I first moved to London I’d never have imagined Kings Cross to be a destination for a wedding, but how wrong I was. I just love St Pancras and this whole area and couldn’t imagine a place with more of a buzz to say I do.

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As wedding season seems to continue all year round, the struggle of trying to find original gifts or presents for couples or indeed the bridal party or family can be a frustrating task, especially when you really want to find something more thoughtful and unique (i.e not a toaster, photo frame or bottle of Champagne) but lucky for you, Not-Another-Bill have you completely sorted in this department, such a great concept and I was kindly gifted a surprise package myself which I thought I’d share!

Not-Another-Bill are stylish curators of tailored surprise gifts in the post either via a monthly subscription service or as a one off hand-picked luxury hamper. They aim to be the most unique gift service in t he world, whether it’s a gift subscription for the newly-weds to enjoy throughout their first year of blissful matrimony, something special to thank the ushers and bridesmaids or a beautifully curated hamper for the in-laws – with complete flexibility they provide a customised gift service like no other. All your gift giving dilemmas solved, basically and even better is they are offering London Bride readers £10 off a first subscription with special code BRIDE10.

SURPRISE FOR THE NEWLYWEDS

Their ‘surprise’ subscription service makes for the perfect wedding gift for newlyweds as you can choose to surprise them with a present, tailored to match their style preferences which you select, each month for 3 months up to a year. I love the idea that it’s something that continues for a couple of months or even well into their first year of marriage, rather than just a one off, the gift that keeps on giving! It would certainly make a very nice welcome back after the honeymoon when the back to reality blues kick in! They can even tailor the package for a 1st anniversary.

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It’s not long now until BRIDES THE SHOW 2016 which we are very excited for especially since I (Charley), will be holding sessions in the VIP Lounge on Sunday, so we hope to see some of you there! We’ve put together a useful style guide on which suppliers and styles to look out for at the show!

We thought we’d put together a little style guide for those visiting so you don’t get too overwhelmed/distracted with the huge array of inspiration there, here’s what we think you may want to keep an eye out for although this is just a very small selection of the amazing suppliers and stylish offerings that will be there showcasing!

Brides The Show is taking place in Islington from Friday 30th September to Sunday 2nd October, and if you have yet to get your tickets, then London Bride readers receive 25% off tickets with special promo code LB25!

Stationery

We’re big fans of modern, fun stationery and the designs from e.y.i love are just that! We particularly like the Laura suite as seen with it’s bang on trend blush card and gold foil writing a winning design combo!

If you’re after something a little more bespoke and luxurious, paper gurus and designers Cutture produce beautiful laser cut stationery ranging from place names to signage to invitation suite designs that tell your story, all uniquely made and beautifully crafted. This feather invitation is bohemian yet timeless.

Bridesmaids

If you have more than a couple of bridesmaids in your girl gang, traipsing around the high street or sending out multiple dresses in a number of sizes via online stores can be a bit of a headache! Two Birds Bridesmaids make life much easier and more fun for you and the girls! There are a number of styles within their collections, but the dress is essentially the same, but can be tied and styled in different ways and in a huge variety of colours – whether you want matching or mis-matching there will be a style to please everyone (well, fingers crossed!).

Why not make a day of dressing up by taking gathering all your girls in London at the Maids to Measure boutique to find them each a dress that both compliments your wedding and their shape and style. From feminine floaty fabrics to sexy backs, the range of designs and fabrics are great to personalise each bridesmaid’s individual style and whether you’re a girly girl looking for peaches and pinks or going for classic navy or black they have so many colours to choose from!

Accessories + Shoes

I’ve personally known designer Debbie from Debbie Carlisle designs for quite a few years now and her bridal accessory collections every year get stronger and stronger. Her new collection ‘Wild Rose’ is ethereal, delicate and just the right amount of sparkle for boho, romantic or classic brides.

One of the UK’s leading shoe designers, Freya Rose bridal shoes encapsulate glamour and luxury in each design. The shoes have the most stunning detailing, and the Freya Rose signature of bejeweled adornments, sumptuous materials and inspiring embroidery make these shoes a work of art and definitely ones to show off! We love the little touch of lace and fashion forward (and comfortable!) ankle tie detail on this pair!

Fashion

This is hard to just pick a few favourites as there are so many amazing bridal fashion designers that you can see more from at the show. There’s also the designer catwalk highlighting the latest trends and designs. However here’s a few we think you’ll want to make a stop by…

Many of my own bridal clients seem to want modern minimalist simplicity from a bridal designer, and Charlotte Simpson definitely ticks that box. Simple structures in stunning fabrics but with effortlessly elegant and feminine cuts are perfect for the contemporary and stylish fuss-free bride.

For those wanting effortlessly chic and timeless style with utter romance and sophistication then you can’t miss Halfpenny London. You’ll fall head over heels for the designs from Kate Halfpenny which include incredibly romantic laces, fashion forward fabrics, and feminine silhouettes that fit like a dream. I guarantee you’ll spend a while browsing through the dresses and just daydreaming…

Another modern designer is Andrea Hawkes, who welcomes individual ideas to create bespoke dresses for brides based on their collection of gowns. They work with you to either create a made to measure dress or for a one-off fully bespoke gown for those wanting something completely unique. Think luxurious fabrics such as European silks and French laces the dresses are made to a very high standard, which is clear to see in the designs.

London based Sanyukta Shrestha’s latest collections bring eco-luxe to brides with their luxurious and organic and fair-trade use of fabrics. The new collection is simply stunning with incredibly delicate fabrics and flattering styles that are effortless to wear.

Florists

There are a few highlights of Brides the Show for me. One is the catwalk, two is the cake, and three – it’s the flowers. The efforts of the florists showcasing last year was phenomenal, I spent hours at their stands admiring at their creativity, innovation and every perfect detail. If you haven’t got your florist yet, you’d be hard pushed not to come away from the show without one!

I recently met florist Fiona and was struck by her absolute passion, creativity and joie de vivre! Electric Daisy Flower Farm grows seasonal flowers on their very own farm for use in their floral designs for weddings and events. If you are looking to go for British seasonal flowers Fiona will be able to let you know what flowers you can expect around your wedding date.

Last year the stand from Hiding In The City was one of my absolute favourites (see above!). It was like a beautiful jungle, so green, vibrant and creative. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what florist Sarah will be creating this year, it’s bound to be very visually impactful and fun!

Cakes

Last but not least, the cake! I’m very excited to see Georgia’s Cakes creations up close (here’s hoping there may be samples?!). If you’re looking for something fun, these are playful and creative.

Hope that small snippet round up of some stylish finds at Brides The Show 2016 has helped prepare you for the inspiration you’ll be inundated with (in a good way of course!) and look forward to seeing some of you there.

Brides The Show is taking place in Islington at the Business Design Centre from Friday 30th September to Sunday 2nd October

London Bride readers receive 25% off tickets with special promo code LB25!